The battlefield was already drowning in smoke.
Buildings had collapsed across the ruined city. Broken roads stretched in every direction, while the enormous shadow of the Black Hell Dragon covered the battlefield beneath it.
And in the middle of that destruction stood the Demon Queen.
Completely calm.
Completely confident.
In front of her stood two women.
Mei Lian.
And Shion Kisaragi.
Both were exhausted, but neither had surrendered.
Mei Lian slowly raised her weapon.
Her eyes were cold and determined.
"This time, I'm going to finish you."
The Demon Queen smiled.
Mei Lian continued.
"I won't let you threaten this world again."
Behind her, her Eagle Spirit Beast appeared.
A massive eagle spread its wings behind Mei Lian, releasing a powerful spiritual aura that swept across the battlefield.
At the same time—
Shion stepped forward.
Her massive sword rested against her shoulder.
Behind her, her poisonous Spirit Beast emerged.
The atmosphere itself seemed to become dangerous.
Shion stared directly at the Demon Queen.
"You're going to die."
Her grip tightened around the sword.
"Everything you did to me..."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Every bit of pain you caused me..."
Her poisonous aura intensified.
"You'll pay for it a thousand times over."
For a moment, the Demon Queen simply stared at them.
Then—
She laughed.
"Oh my..."
She covered her mouth with one hand.
"You two really think too highly of yourselves."
She slowly raised her hand.
"Reverse Gravity."
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The entire area suddenly shook.
An invisible force slammed down on both women.
Mei Lian's knees buckled.
Shion was forced toward the ground.
The pressure was enormous.
The ground beneath them cracked.
Their bodies felt as though an enormous weight had been placed upon them.
Mei Lian gritted her teeth.
"Urgh..."
Shion struggled to lift her head.
"This pressure..."
The Demon Queen smiled.
"Kneel."
Shion's fingers moved.
She reached toward one of the small containers attached to her equipment.
Click.
She pulled out a poison grenade.
But instead of throwing it—
She connected it to her inhaler.
HSSSSSSSSSS!
Shion inhaled.
Her breathing stopped for a moment.
Then—
Her eyes suddenly opened.
The veins around them became visible.
Her eyes turned bright red.
Her poisonous Spirit Beast roared behind her.
ROOOOOOAR!
A violent spiritual aura erupted from Shion's body.
BOOOOOOM!
The pressure around her began cracking.
Shion slowly stood.
Her senses had changed.
She could hear the movement of the air.
She could feel every vibration around her.
The Demon Queen's movements suddenly appeared clearer.
Shion smiled.
"Human limits..."
She raised her sword.
"I'm done with them."
She disappeared.
WHOOSH!
The Demon Queen's eyes moved.
Shion appeared directly in front of her.
The massive sword came down.
CLAAAAANG!
The Demon Queen stopped it with a single finger.
Shion's eyes widened.
The Demon Queen smiled.
"That's your strongest attack?"
Then—
Her hand shot forward.
She grabbed Shion by the throat and threw her away.
BOOOOOOM!
Shion crashed through the wall of a ruined building.
The wall collapsed around her.
She rolled across the ground and quickly pushed herself back up.
The Demon Queen turned.
But—
FWOOOOOSH!
A powerful gust exploded beneath Mei Lian.
Her Eagle Spirit Beast had positioned itself directly underneath her.
Its wings spread.
A concentrated blast of wind pushed upward.
Mei Lian used that force to break free from the Reverse Gravity.
She launched herself toward the Demon Queen.
Her fist became surrounded by spiritual energy.
The Eagle Spirit Beast gathered its own spiritual power around Mei Lian's arm.
The energy compressed.
And compressed.
Until her entire fist was surrounded by a dense spiritual aura.
Mei Lian pulled her arm back.
"Eagle Spirit..."
She launched the punch.
"POWER STRIKE!"
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The Demon Queen blocked the punch.
But Mei Lian immediately followed.
Another punch.
BAM!
A kick.
WHOOSH!
The Demon Queen dodged.
Mei Lian spun.
Another punch.
BOOM!
The Demon Queen blocked.
Shion suddenly appeared from behind.
SLASH!
The Demon Queen moved her head just in time.
The sword passed beside her.
Mei Lian attacked from the opposite side.
BAM!
The Demon Queen stepped backward.
Shion attacked again.
CLANG!
Mei Lian followed.
BOOM!
For several moments, the battlefield became a blur of movement.
Punches.
Kicks.
Sword strikes.
Dodges.
Counters.
Blocks.
The two women were fighting together perfectly.
Shion forced the Demon Queen to move.
Mei Lian attacked the opening.
Then Mei Lian created an opening.
Shion attacked it.
The Demon Queen's expression slowly changed.
She was still stronger.
Much stronger.
But something was happening.
Mei Lian's attacks weren't random.
She was targeting specific vital areas.
Ribs.
Abdomen.
Leg joints.
Shoulders.
Every time the Demon Queen moved, Mei Lian studied her.
Shion noticed it too.
"Mei Lian!"
"I know!"
Shion swung her sword.
The Demon Queen blocked.
Mei Lian immediately attacked the exposed side.
BOOM!
The Demon Queen staggered.
Her hand moved toward her side.
For the first time—
She looked irritated.
"You..."
Mei Lian didn't stop.
She rushed forward.
A punch toward the abdomen.
BAM!
The Demon Queen blocked.
Shion attacked from above.
CLANG!
The Demon Queen moved sideways.
Mei Lian followed.
A kick toward her leg.
BOOM!
The Demon Queen's balance broke for a moment.
Shion took advantage.
She brought her massive sword down.
The Demon Queen barely avoided it.
The blade struck the ground.
KABOOOOOM!
A huge crack spread across the street.
The Demon Queen looked at the two women.
Her smile disappeared.
"Enough."
A massive spiritual pressure exploded outward.
Both women were thrown backward.
BOOOOOOM!
Mei Lian landed several meters away.
Shion crashed onto the ground.
Neither woman moved for a moment.
Then Mei Lian slowly stood.
She looked down at her weapon.
Her sniper rifle.
She checked the ammunition.
Her expression became serious.
Only one spiritual bullet remained.
Click.
She loaded it.
The Demon Queen watched her.
"Another attack?"
Mei Lian raised the rifle.
Her Eagle Spirit Beast appeared behind her.
It gathered its spiritual energy.
Mei Lian gathered hers as well.
All of it.
Every remaining bit of spiritual power.
The rifle began to glow.
The final bullet became surrounded by concentrated spiritual energy.
Mei Lian took a deep breath.
"Everything I've got..."
Her finger rested against the trigger.
"...is going into this shot."
The Demon Queen stood still.
Mei Lian fired.
BANG!
The Spiritual Bullet crossed the battlefield like a streak of light.
It struck the Demon Queen directly.
KABOOOOOOOOOM!
Fire exploded across the street.
Smoke covered the Demon Queen completely.
Mei Lian lowered the rifle.
Shion stared into the smoke.
Silence.
The smoke slowly began to disappear.
Mei Lian's eyes widened.
The Demon Queen was still standing.
Her clothes were damaged.
But she herself looked almost completely unaffected.
The Demon Queen smiled.
"Is that all?"
Mei Lian's expression fell.
Shion tightened her grip on her sword.
But their bodies had finally reached their limits.
The Demon Queen moved.
BOOM!
Both women were knocked down.
They struggled to stand.
But this time—
Their legs wouldn't cooperate.
Mei Lian dropped to one knee.
Shion dropped beside her.
The Demon Queen stood before them.
And then she began laughing.
"Hahahahaha..."
At that exact moment—
Several figures appeared in the distance.
Leo.
Chenwei.
Lily.
Yuna.
And the others.
They had finally reached the original battlefield.
Leo stopped immediately.
His eyes widened.
Chenwei froze.
Lily's expression changed.
And their eyes all moved toward the same scene.
Mei Lian and Shion—
Both on their knees.
The Demon Queen standing before them.
Laughing.
Above them, the enormous Black Hell Dragon watched silently.
And somewhere behind the battlefield, Renge was still lying on the massive gate—
completely unaware of what had happened to Shion.
Leo clenched his fists.
The atmosphere changed.
Because now—
everyone had finally returned to the battlefield.
And the final battle of the Human World was about to begin.